1. Field
The present invention relates generally to computer systems, and in particular to protecting computer systems from unauthorized software.
2. Related Art
The set of software available for execution on a computer is generally dynamic and modifiable, even when such modification is not desirable. To restrict the ability of users or administrators of a computer to install and remove software or to modify configuration of the existing software, a filter is often used to manage software access to the computer from a network. However, the filtering is based on the behavior of the software or a set of rules or policies. Filtering in this manner is inefficient and limited in reliability, as malicious software often disguises its behavior or is specifically created to traverse the rules.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and system for the classification of software on networked systems. The method and system should definitively determine the authority of software to execute on a computing system, rather than on heuristics or rules or policies. The present invention addresses such a need.